Autumn jobs

Autumn is a great time to do garden improvement and maintenance, for example constructing a pathway or a pergola, sharpening your tools, improving your soil or mulching the garden beds. A little time spent on jobs now will help your garden power away in the spring.

Strawberries planted now will produce fruit in October and November. Put some mulch around the base of a citrus tree, making sure not to allow any of the mulch to touch the trunk. Some citrus trees, such as Emperor mandarins, bear so heavily that the branches bend over with the weight of the crop. When this happens it is necessary to do some emergency thinning to prevent the branches snapping under the strain. Ideally, the best time to prune citrus is after the crop is harvested.

Two step stool

It is convenient to have a small step ladder inside the house for occasional uses when you need to get to something placed up high. I have a decent size ladder in the garage but that wouldn’t be good for inside the house. What we need is a two step stool that can be used as a stool when not being used as a small step.

Adding Organic Matter to Soil

The worst problem facing gardeners in Australia today is that when soils dry out, they can become water repellent, or hydrophobic. When this happens, water just runs off instead of soaking into the soil.

Hydrophobia usually occurs in sandy soils and often it is caused by mulches. When uncomposted mulch sits on the surface of the ground, waxy, oily material leaves that mulch as it breaks down and coats each individual grain in the soil. When the soil dries out and you try to rewet it, the waxy, oily coating on the grains won't let the water back in and the soil stays dry.

If you took that same mulch and put it into a compost heap, micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi would break down the waxy and oily material along with the organic matter. As well, the remnants of organic matter that you get at the end of composting actually aid the soil to form tiny little cracks that allow water to penetrate - drying out is never really an issue and the soil always rewets. So organic material used as a mulch causes the problem, but solves the problem when used as a compost.

Cigars

I’m not one to smoke cigars but once in a while I might have a go with friends just for celebrations like someone’s having a baby or getting married. Mind you I don’t inhale, just puffing away blowing smoke. Some people don’t like the smell but I like the aroma of a good cigar however my wife will refuse to kiss me afterwards!

Growing Better Pot Plants

Growing a beautiful plant in a pot is a satisfying experience, and plants continue giving joy year after year, especially as they can be moved indoors for brief periods when flowering. However, many pot plants tend to become drab and do not add anything to their environment. There are however a few tricks to growing really good plants in pots.

Watering pot plants can be difficult, as the water often is not absorbed below the surface. A wetting agent acts to open up the potting mix and allows water to be fully absorbed. An experiment conducted with three pot plants with standard potting mix which had typically dried out, indicates the importance of a good wetting agent.

Men's gifts under $20

So what do you give a man who’s got everything? Small things count so get him small but make it personal and I’m sure you can get all kinds of men's gift ideas under $20 or around there. It is not the price of the gifts that matters, it’s the thought and how personal you make the gifts to be. So don’t tell me you don’t have any idea what to get, there’s always something you can think of that will be appropriate.

Carnivorous plants

The world is full of weird and bizarre plants, but the most strange and bizarre would have to be the carnivorous plants. It's amazing to think of plants trapping living creatures, and slowly digesting them. If you saw the movie "The Day of the Triffids" you probably thought the idea of plants eating all the humans and taking over the world was a bit far fetched. Well, think again - maybe it wasn't all that far from reality.

Age spots

My face is starting to show my age; I’m seeing age spots all over my face where a few years ago I could find none. How disappointing but such is life, we can’t stay young forever and sooner or later old age will catch up with you. But there are ways to slow down the ageing process and that’s with good nutrition, healthy living and a little makeup never hurt anybody!

Cyclamen

Most gardeners think of cyclamen as delicate indoor plants. However they can be grown outside, and in fact occur naturally in harsh, rocky areas in the Mediterranean and Europe. The miniature wild Italian cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium), will thrive and multiply in a shady position in the garden. It is a very long-flowering, hardy species, which grows in both frosty and hot areas. The flowers are usually pink or white, and the leaves are patterned and marbled in white and silver.

Conference calls

Even though I don’t run a multi-million business I sure do a lot of conference calls all across the globe. But most of these are personal calls to friends and family scattered all over the world. Therefore I am always constantly looking for free or cheap calls overseas. Apart from audio calls I also do a lot of video calls as well. Nothing beats seeing the other person.

Crepe myrtles

Crepe myrtles are among the world's best flowering trees. They are native to eastern Asia and are hardy in most parts of Australia. They are also resistant to powdery mildew, a fungal disease that is difficult to control with fungicides.

A deciduous, vase-shaped tree about 6-8m (18-25') tall. It is often severely pruned and grown as a shrub 3-4m (10-12') tall. Trusses of white, pink, mauve or purple blooms appear in late summer. The petals are ruffled, with a crepe-like texture. In autumn the mid-green leaves turn yellow, orange or red (depending on the variety) before falling. Unpruned crepe myrtles develop beautifully coloured, smooth, mottled trunks. There is an Australian native crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia archeriana), which grows to around 7m (20') tall and has pinkish mauve flowers.

Trampolines connecticut

There’s nothing better than having a trampoline in your backyard for the kids to play in. I think I still love jumping around in the trampoline even at my age! It’s better than getting a pool that you only get to use in the warmer months but for the rest of the year sitting there gathering dirt. Not to mention dangerous for toddlers too. Therefore we’ve decided to get our trampoline from trampolines connecticut so the whole family can have fun all year round.

Clivias

Clivias are wonderful, almost unkillable plants, which brighten the garden during late winter and early spring with clusters of vibrant yellow throated, orange or salmon trumpet flowers. The flowers are held on stalks above the clump of dark green strap-like leaves.

Native to Natal, South Africa, clivias were named after Lady Charlotte Florentina Clive, Duchess of Northumberland, who was the granddaughter of Robert Clive, better known as Clive of India. The name Clivia can be pronounced as the name Clive to rhyme with 'hive' (Clive+ia) or with a hard sound as in 'liver' (Cliv+ia). Many of the clivia enthusiasts pronounce it the latter way.

Disability insurance

Life is unpredictable; you never know what’s around the corner. One day you’re on top of the world and the next you may loose them all due to accidents. That is why disability insurance is so important to us especially the sole breadwinner of the household. This way you can rest assured your family is going to be looked after should anything bad happened to you and you can’t work anymore.

Citrus Tips

Citrus trees do best in a full sun position. Before planting, dig plenty of chook, cow or horse manure into the ground. Ideally, citrus should be fertilised in August and February. It is good to alternate fertilisers - say Dynamic Lifter in August/September and Complete Citrus Food in February. For potted citrus use a slow release fertiliser, such as Osmocote Plus. Keep citrus trees well watered when fruit is developing (water restrictions permitting). This is particularly important during a drought. If the tree does not receive enough water the quality of the fruit will suffer, or if it rains and the plant is very dry the fruit will split. Grass and citrus don't mix. Keep the area beneath your citrus free of grass and weeds, which compete with the tree for nutrients. Cover with a mulch such as lucerne, composted leaf litter or compost, but keep the mulch away from the tree trunk to avoid collar rot.

Office supplies

I usually get my office supplies from my local stationery store. Even though it is close by I usually have to spend at least an hour if my busy time going there and coming back. I think I should start using online shopping and have them delivered to me instead saving me time. I just need to order in advance so I don’t run out of stationeries before they arrive.

Bamboos

Bamboos are wonderful plants and there are over a thousand different species and dozens of garden varieties. In eastern Asia they are used for almost everything from building homes, to making furniture and their shoots are even used in cooking. There are two distinct types of bamboo - clumping and running. If growing bamboo in your garden, it is important to understand the differences which were noted more than 700 years ago in drawings.

Running bamboos can cause awful trouble in the garden where they can grow from one property to another. These bamboos are classified as noxious weeds in some areas of Sydney. So if you're growing running bamboo such as the Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea), Green Onion bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica 'Tsutsuminia') or Black bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra) confine them in pots or in garden beds lined with concrete, special rubber or other impervious barriers. The depth of the barrier needed varies among species but to be safe it should be at least 1m (3') deep.

Banking jobs

Back home people used to look highly at public service and banking jobs. If you are fortunate enough to get into either one of those two professions then your job security is pretty much set for life. That’s why a lot of parents were always pushing their kids to get into these two industries. Can’t really blame them, which were how the older generations used to think back then but now we all know better.

Yuccas

Members of the Agave family, yuccas are native to southern USA and Mexico. There are around thirty species, and most have stout woody trunks, rosettes of spiky leaves and big clusters of creamy white flowers. In the wild these fascinating plants have a mutually exclusive relationship with a moth (Tegeticula spp.). They provide food for the yucca moth, and it pollinates their flowers. Most yuccas have leaves tipped with sharp spines, hence common names like Spanish bayonet, Spanish dagger and Adam's needle. Yucca elephantipes, the plant we featured on Burke's Backyard, does not have sharp leaves. This beautiful species comes from the high country of Mexico and Central America, where it has long been valued for its medicinal and culinary uses.

Chicago auto repair

Moving to Chicago is a big step but it is also a good change for the better. I am so looking forward to my new job in a new city. I decided to drive all the way there in my trusty Toyota Camry but along the way I struck a pot hole and I hope nothing’s broken in the under carriage. Because I’m new to the city it is hard for me to find a Chicago auto repair shop near where I live or near my work place.

Lucky for me a work colleague helped out referring me to his uncle’s garage which is near by. While at the auto repair shop they did a marvellous job checking my Camry thoroughly, even check engine light and the oil filters too. I think I’m going to love this city.

Red eggplants

Most people would be familiar with the large, purple-black eggplant or aubergine (Solanum melongena) which is used to make delicious recipes like ratatouille and baba ganoush. If you shop around you'll also be able to find white skinned or striped varieties, lady's fingers and the tiny pea eggplant, which is used in Asian cooking. The good news is that there are new red varieties of eggplant available, which have a better flavour than the common purple ones because they are not as acidic. They can be cut in half and put on the barbecue, or sliced thinly, fried and added to platters of antipasto.

Eggplants require a position in full sun and a long, warm growing season. In warm, frost-free zones (for example the tropical and subtropical parts of the Northern Territory and coastal areas of north Queensland) they can be grown all year round. In temperate climates (coastal and near coastal districts of southern Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia) seed can be planted from August to December. In cool to cold climates (southern Australia, mountain and frost-prone inland districts), delay planting until September and make last plantings by the end of November.

Appetite suppressant

The problem with obesity is that it’s hard to stop eating when we’re full. We tend to continue eating even though the body had enough. What we need is a good appetite suppressant so we don’t have that hunger to continue eating way over what the body needs. So I let my friend be the guinea pig and let him try out these suppressants before I do. And you know what? It really works!

Cannas

Cannas are perennials which grow from thick underground roots (or rhizomes). The flowers grow up through tightly furled leaf bases or 'false stems'. Modern canna hybrids come in four different sizes: pixie (45cm-60cm), dwarf (60cm-100cm), medium (1m-1.5m) and tall (1.5m-2m). They come in all colours except blue, green and black. The foliage may be green, blue-green, purple, burgundy, bronze or striped.

Most cannas like a sunny position, but off-white flowering varieties prefer dappled shade. They grow well in moist soil enriched with organic matter such as compost. Fertilise in late winter with a mixture of four parts blood and bone and one part sulfate of potash. Water well before and after fertilising. Cannas also respond well to applications of well-rotted cow manure.Keep plants mulched and water well, particularly during dry spells. Remove spent flower heads to maintain an attractive display. Do not cut off more than about 15cm (6"), as new flowers will be forming lower down the stem. At the end of the flowering season, cut old stems down to within 2cm (1") of the ground. Leave new young shoots - these will flower early next season. Lift and divide the clumps every three years.

Do diet pills work

I’ve tried dieting and I’ve tried exercising but I’m still struggling to shed my excess weight off my overweight body. My next step is taking diet pills and I often wonder; do diet pills work on a lazy couch potato like me? I’m not very motivated to push myself harder than what I’ve done and a magic diet pill is just what I need.

Bromeliads

These fascinating tropical American natives come in a wonderful variety of sizes, shapes and foliage colours. They seem very strange and exotic, but one of our most common fruits, the pineapple, is actually a bromeliad. Many bromeliads are epiphytes (ie they live on other plants but do not parasitise those plants), living up in the forks of tree branches and surviving mainly on the moisture and nutrients they obtain from the air. However there are bromeliads for every situation - some make very good indoor plants, while others can be quite spectacular grown in the garden.

How to get rid of dark circles

I am not a morning person; some days I wake up with dark circles around my eyes. Especially after a big night out and I found out the best way on how to get rid of dark circles around your eyes is Prototype #37-C which has a high concentration of powerful peptides. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself, I was sceptical at first but now I’m a convert.

Bottlebrushes

Bottlebrushes (Callistemon spp.) are among the hardiest of Australian native plants. They are long lived, require minimal maintenance and are almost impossible to kill. The flowers attract native birds, especially honey eaters, and reward the gardener with extraordinary amounts of colour. The original bottlebrushes available to gardeners were all bold red but flower colours now range from red to pink, mauve, cream and green.

Colon cleanser

I’m not feeling the best these few days, must be the over indulgence during the festive season. Time to detoxify I think, I need a colon cleanser to flush out all the nasties that’s built up over the last few months. I do this every few months or after I’ve been bad, you should give it a go. You’ll feel so much better afterward.

Clerodendrums

There are over 400 species of clerodendrums, including climbers, shrubs, herbaceous plants and trees, and they are mostly from warm climates. Many, like the Bleeding Heart Vine, have very showy flowers.

Clerodendrums grown in the garden like a well-drained soil, rich in organic material. They will tolerate full sun with adequate moisture but prefer partial shade. They need protection from strong winds, hot sun and frost. Indoor plants need a warm, bright spot with plenty of water in the growing season. To maintain humidity around the plant, stand the pot on a tray of moist pebbles and mist frequently. If a more compact plant is wanted, pinch out the growing tips in winter. If the plant has repeated pest problems such as scale, mealy bug or two-spotted mite, it is probably not getting enough light or is moisture stressed.

Audio video cables

Sometimes it is hard to find the right audio video cables for my home entertainment system. Like the other day I wanted to get a HDMI cable but it seems like the price of these cables can ranch from very cheap to very expensive. What is the difference between the cheap and the expensive? No one can tell me the difference because it is just down right rip off on the part of the retailers.

Coriander

Coriander grows better during the cooler months of the year. During summer, coriander plants change rapidly from leafy to seedy (this is called ‘bolting to seed’) and it’s almost impossible to have a crop on hand for use in the kitchen in the hot months. During autumn, winter and spring, however, coriander stays nicely leafy for a number of months.

Coriander likes a sunny spot, well-drained soil and a steady supply of both water and fertiliser. It grows equally well in pots or in garden beds. If using pots, use top quality potting mix and sit the pots up on pot feet, so water drains away after each watering.

Agaves

Agaves are easy to grow. They like a full sun position and a well-drained, sandy soil. In gardens they are often grown as accent, border or rockery plants. (Tip: keep species with sharp spines away from paths.) Many of the smaller agaves make excellent pot plants. If growing in a pot, use a free-draining soil mix suitable for succulents. Water established plants in summer when they are actively growing.

Order chocolate covered strawberries

I have a sweet tooth; I need something sweet almost everyday and I just cannot resist chocolate or anything chocolaty. That’s why I want to order chocolate covered strawberries when I found this website that makes me drool. They have all sorts of chocolaty sweets and indulgence. It’s heavenly! I get out of control picking the orders and I think I overspent my budget!

Flowering and Ornamental Trees

Trees can be flowering trees, fruit trees, shade trees, ornamentals etc. Some attractiveTecoma argentea dwarf/medium height flowering trees or ornamental trees would be ideal for a home garden. Like, Cornus Florida (Flowering Dogwood), Magnolia, Hydrangea Paniculata, Cassia fistula, Jacaranda, Tecoma argentea, Cassia javanica etc. Tree saplings can be planted in trenches filled with a mixture of garden earth and manure in the ratio of 2:1. Support the saplings with stakes. Trees take a number of years to mature. In the first year, remove weak or unruly shoots. In the second or third year remove poorly spaced branches, leaving alone the central trunk. Once they settle, trees need to be watered only once in a while. But the watering should be deep and applied directly to the soil. Shade trees and ornamentals grow on a framework of older branches and need only infrequent maintenance pruning. Prune only dead, diseased or damaged wood or to correct a poor shape. Flowering trees can be pruned after flowering or fruition.

Best diet pills for women that work

She’s tried so many things but always ended up in disappointment. Is there anyone out there that can help? What are the best diet pills for women that work in reducing weight gradually and keep it off as well? After all the disappointments I think she’s given up hope on finding the right ones. Fortunately a friend got her in touch with someone who’s had success with some better ones and she might give them a go.

Aphids

Aphids are tiny sap sucking insects usually about one to two millimetres long that appear when the weather warms. Colonies can build up very quickly. They eat developing shoots and flower buds by piercing the plant's surface and sucking out the plant's juices, which can result in deformed buds, flower loss and even defoliation of the plant. They do not just affect roses. Peach trees and hibiscus are tasty treats for aphids too.

There are chemical-free ways of dealing with aphids. The first strategy of aphid control is the most environmentally friendly, and that's to let nature do the work for you. Shortly after the aphids appear, watch for the appearance of the aphid’s natural predators. The best-known of these is the ladybird. And the ladybird larvae, which look a bit like a crocodile and eat more aphids than the ladybirds themselves.

Aphids

Aphids are tiny sap sucking insects usually about one to two millimetres long that appear when the weather warms. Colonies can build up very quickly. They eat developing shoots and flower buds by piercing the plant's surface and sucking out the plant's juices, which can result in deformed buds, flower loss and even defoliation of the plant. They do not just affect roses. Peach trees and hibiscus are tasty treats for aphids too.

There are chemical-free ways of dealing with aphids. The first strategy of aphid control is the most environmentally friendly, and that's to let nature do the work for you. Shortly after the aphids appear, watch for the appearance of the aphid’s natural predators. The best-known of these is the ladybird. And the ladybird larvae, which look a bit like a crocodile and eat more aphids than the ladybirds themselves.

Weight loss diets

Growing up I was a big boy eating whatever I wanted and anything I wanted. At one stage I was so big that I just couldn’t keep up with my friends in school with their physical activities. That’s when my parents decided to put me on weight loss diets hoping to get my weight down to a healthier level. We tried a few diets but didn’t work but finally found one that was more suitable for me. Then the transformation began with a few pounds a week dropping off until I was normal again.

Sooty mold

Sooty mold is a charcoal black fungus that appears as a black coating on the surface of leaves, fruits, twigs and branches of many deciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees. This fungus is not pathogenic to plants but obtains its nourishment from insect honeydew.

Honeydew is a sweet, clear, sticky substance secreted by insects such as aphids, mealybugs, scale, and whiteflies. The honeydew drops from the insects to the leaves and twigs. Wind-blown sooty mold spores that stick to the honeydew then have a suitable medium for growth. When spores germinate, they send out black fungal strands (mycelial threads) that cover the plant tissue and cause the discoloration. A heavy coat of black mold may build up on needles and twigs over more than one growing season.On leaves, this coat of mold screens out light and reduces the plant's capacity to produce food. On some trees no obvious damage can be noticed. Shrubs under trees that are heavily infested with honeydew producing insects may be seriously damaged or killed because the leaf chlorophyll cannot function properly under the thick layer of sooty mold that develops. Azalea, Rhododendron, Pieris, Cotoneaster, holly and other low-growing shrubs, growing under shady conditions are susceptible to serious damage.

Sooty mold may be washed off plants, but unless the causal insects are controlled, it may reappear. To prevent sooty mold, you need to manage the insects. The insects involved are small and may be present in large numbers before the black strands of sooty mold appear. Trees and shrubs should be observed frequently during the growing season for honeydew and insects. Remember -- look for insects not only on the affected plants--but on overstory plants as well for evidence of an infestation when sooty mold appears.

Top diet supplements

Back when I was little we were all told to eat reasonable proportions of fish, meat and vegetables alongside diary products and fruits. But even if we do we still need other diet supplements like vitamins and other minerals which are usually taken in pill forms. One of the top diet supplements is fish oil which contains high levels of omega 3 that is supposed to be very beneficial to us.

Ash whitefly

Ash whitefly is a small white sap sucking insect which occurs in both temperate and Mediterranean climates. The first record of this pest for Australia was in Adelaide in autumn of 1998. A subsequent survey in June 1998 of greater metropolitan Adelaide and important fruit growing country regions found this new pest widely distributed in Adelaide from Hallet Cove in the south to the Barossa Valley in the north. There was only one record from the Adelaide Hills and none from the country regions surveyed. Interstate surveys in late June 1998 also found the whitefly in Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Griffith, Gundagai in NSW and Canberra.

There are a number of natural enemies of ash whitefly that are important in its ecology. These include parasitoids, predators and diseases. The most successful of these is a small parasitic wasp, Encarcia inaron. In the USA and NZ, very good biological control has been achieved by this wasp. Initial surveys of the Adelaide area have not found E. inaron but as it is the best candidate, it is the highest priority task to introduce this parasitoid into Australia, after AQIS approval, if it has not already accompanied its host into the country

Refurbished laptops

My friend said he wants to get a laptop for his son for school but didn’t want to spend too much money on it since technology moves fast and soon his son would want a better one. So I suggested checking out some refurbished laptops; they’re pre-used but cost far less than new and most of them still have manufacturers’ warranties. It would be ideal for kids to use for a couple of years before upgrading.

Thrips

There are 7,400 species of thrips in the world and quite a few are serious pests of plants. Some of the more commonly known thrips are Greenhouse thrip (Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis_), Western Flower Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis_) and Plague thrips (Thrips imaginis).

Thrips are 0.5mm – 15 mm long and range in colour from white to yellow to black. Thrips generally have wings that are fringed but this can only be seen with magnification. Thrips attack the flowers, fruit and foliage of a variety of plants. Roses, fruit trees, azaleas, gladioli and a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, onions and beans all suffer from thrip attacks. Thrips lay eggs inside plant tissue and the pupae feed on plant juices. Thrips also lay eggs in unopened buds making it difficult to control the insect. Thrips also spread plant viruses; for example tomato thrips and western flower thrips spread the tomato spotted wilt virus.

Thrips scrape the surface of the leaves and petals, and suck the sap, leaving a white mottled appearance on leaves. Other symptoms are browning on petals and fruit, and flower drop. If left unchecked the leaves, new shoots and flowers will become deformed and stunted. Wilting and browning can also occur.

Restaurant delivery

Usually on a Friday night after a long week, I just couldn’t be bothered with cooking. That’s when I would be looking for restaurant delivery in my local area. I usually ended up ordering pizzas, although Chinese and Japanese follow closely behind. Last Friday we had Indian which gave us some upset tummies so I wouldn’t be going back to them again. I think we’ll have Greek this week.

Rose canker

Rose canker is usually the result of careless pruning or breaking of stems. Dark reddish lesions and cracking bark of rose canes are symptoms of rose canker. They are caused by a fungus that enters through pruning cuts or wounds to the shrub. Cankers can encircle stems and cut off the flow of nutrients and water to growth further up.

Prune off and burn diseased canes. Canker can be spread from plant to plant by infected secateurs. Make a neat slanting cut to just above a good outward-facing bud and disinfect secateurs often.

Girls shorts

Funny how this year we haven’t seen much in term of girls shorts in fashion than previous years. I remember one year when girls shorts were very popular and I think it was due to that Duke of Hazard movie coming out where a very famous actress was wearing a very tiny shorts. Nowadays the style has died down again and less and less people are wanting to go for that style, instead going for something calls Batwing dresses!

Black spot

Roses are the world's favourite flower, and black spot is the scourge of rose growers. Black spot is a fungal disease and it thrives in warm humid climates. It starts off as a black spot in the leaf and then it turns yellow and eventually the leaf falls off, and if it's really bad, the plant can die.

When the black spot spore lands on the leaf, it germinates and sends its little root system through the cell wall into the sap stream below and it proliferates. If you thicken that cell wall, the spore lands on the top, the root system germinates and it goes halfway through and then fizzles out, and so you get less black spot. But how do you thicken that cell wall? It's easy - just use sulphate of potash and give them about 100 to 150 grams per bush about four times a year – this should guarantee a lot less black spot.

Nutrition and spraying will control most black spot but from time to time some bushes will be chronically affected. The only thing to do is to rip these out so they don’t infect any of the others.

Cutting tools

If sone one asks me what I want for my birthday this year I would say cutting tools. Yes I’ve wanted some of these for all the DIY projects I have started but yet to finish simply because I need some cutting tools to do what I need to do with them. I’ve also been telling myself to go get some myself from the hardware store but everyone who knows me knows that I’m the greatest procrastinator. So if I was to finish my projects I’m going to need some one to get me the cutting tools I need this year. That is so bad of me.

Rust disease

Rusts are diseases caused by fungal pathogens of the order Pucciniales. About 7800 species are known. The taxonomy of Pucciniales is complex and the darker coloured smut is often mistaken for rust. Rusts are so named after the reddish rusty looking sori and the disease is usually noticed after the first rains. The group is considered as one of the most dangerous pathogens to agriculture and horticulture. All rusts are obligate parasites, meaning that they require a living host to complete their life cycle. They generally do not kill the host plant but can severely reduce growth and yield. Cereal crops can be devastated in one season and trees that get infected in the main stem within the first five years, invariably die.

Rust fungi can be categorized by their life cycle. Heteroecious rust fungi require two unrelated hosts to complete their life cycle, with the primary host being infected by aeciospores and the alternate host being infected with basidiospores. This can be contrasted with an autoecious fungus which can complete its life cylce on a single host species.

Rust fungi can be further categorized by how many spores are produced during the life cycle. Fungi that produce all five spores (sometimes excluding pycniospores) are termed macrocyclic. Fungi that lack pycniospores, aeciospores, and urediniospores in their life cycle are termed microcyclic and always have an autoecious life cycle. Demicyclic fungi delete the uredial (repeating) stage from the life cycle. Understanding the life cycles of rust fungi allows for proper disease management.

Food storage

We’re heading into a bumper year in my veggie garden and there will be a lot of excess; we’ll eat some, give some away but will have to store some for future use. There are many food storage ideas like drying them or pickle them in brine. We can even sell some of them right outside our porch! Home gardens are great ways of saving on food and eating healthy.

Cabbage moth

The cabbage moth is greyish and small and is around 10mm across. The moths and butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of leaves. The larvae of caterpillars hatch from the eggs and then feed on the leaves or fruit, so it’s the caterpillar of the cabbage white butterfly or cabbage moth which does the damage. The blue-green smooth textured caterpillar is that of the cabbage white butterfly, while the caterpillar which is green-brown is that of the cabbage moth. They both start eating the outer leaves before moving to the inner heart of the cabbage. It is a good idea to try and either pick off the caterpillars or spray them when they are still on the outside of the leaf, before they tunnel into the heart. Plants favoured by cabbage moth and cabbage white butterfly include cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Chinese cabbage, celery, beetroot, rocket and watercress.

Colon cleanse

Okay, so I’ve heard of it many times but I’ve yet to do it myself. I’m talking about colon cleanse which some claim to be very good for your health. A few of my friends have done it and now they’re doing it regularly. I’m still not too sure if I want to do it just yet. I mean like if I don’t do it I won’t feel bad health wise so why the rush to do it? Maybe I need more convincing so reading up on the benefit of it would be a good start.

Garden snails

Although we know all too well the diet of the Garden Snail, Australia has many native snails, which in the case of many other native animals much prefer to stay in their natural habitats. Our biggest species occur in Queensland, some with shells up to 70mm across. In Victoria there are two species of carnivorous snails that chase down worms, slugs and other snails in a slow motion battle to the death.

Snails are hermaphrodites; they are equipped as both a male and female. It still takes two to tango, but the odds are a lot better of finding a mate! After mating small clear or white eggs are laid in a moist position. Baby snails have very delicate shells, often a different shape than the parents; however this changes as they grow.

Flash drive

I can still remember the first flash drive I bought; it was years ago, 512 mb and cost a bomb! Nowadays you can get one ten times bigger than that and costs far less. Such is technology; they will always come down in price if you’re willing to wait. The flash drive is the best thing to happen to computers since floppy drives, for quite some times computers were stuck with floppy drives until the flash drives came along and did away with the old technology for good. Who knows what’s in store for us in the future.

Sawtooth coriander

Sawtooth Coriander (Eryngium foetidum) also called Thai Coriander, or Pointed Cilantro, Cilentro, Culantro, Thorny Coriander, Ngo Gai, Mexican Coriander, Phak Chee Farang, Daunketumbar Jawa, Chinese Coriander, and Long Leafed Coriander. It belongs to the Apiaceae, like the species listed above; is a biennial to 30-50cm, propagated by seed, sprinkled on top of the soil. Large oblong leaves form as a rosette.

The edge of the leaves are prominently serrated, hence its name, sawtooth coriander. Spiky erect green flower heads form from the centre of the plant, and little raised oval seed heads form in the centre, turning from yellow to brown when mature. If you like the flavour of coriander but have trouble growing the annual species, then sawtooth coriander will give you pleasure to grow and use. The smell and taste is very similar. Sawtooth coriander leaves have good potential for drying as it does retain flavour whereas the annual coriander does not keep its flavour when dried.

Popcorn machines

We’ve finally got our little home theatre done. Now we can stay home instead of going out to the movies. Our home theatre has all the latest equipments like overhead projector, surround sound and reclining seats. All we need are popcorn machines so we can have all the pop corns we want while we watch our favourite movies. No more lining up in a queue at the cinemas or putting up with noisy kids in the theatres.

Growing apples

Apples are not hard to grow – if your climate is suited to them – and modern apple breeders have made things even easier for you by producing slimline ‘Ballerina’ apples and new grafted dwarf types for smaller spaces.

Cool climates suit apples, and for some varieties (such as the famous Cox’s Orange Pippin), the cooler the better, especially here in Australia, where even our coldest winters are mild by European standards. So, anywhere in the mountains, Tassie, Victoria or frosty inland areas are suitable. Cooler, elevated and inland areas of Sydney and the NSW South Coast are worth a try, but don’t expect marvellous crops every year.

Name tags

Our little circle of friends has grown from a measly five ten years ago to about fifty these days. Every month we would have a gathering to share our experiences and to just chill out. It’s getting to a point where we’re getting hard remembering everybody’s names. We may have to get name tags for everyone! A simple name written on a sticky tape that’s stuck on your left chest may be all we need for our next meeting.

Growing feverfew

Feverfew is a lovely perennial herb that has white, daisy-like flowers with yellow centers and soft, light green serrated leaves. Plants grow from 9 to 24 inches high and produce single or double flowers for most of the summer and early fall. Feverfew is useful for planting between stones or pavers on walkways and paths. In addition to its attractive appearance, it possesses many significant medicinal properties.

Feverfew will grow in almost any soil. It should be started from seeds sown directly in the ground in spring or from cuttings taken in the summer. Plans will self-sow and flowers should be removed as needed to focus energy on leaf production. Feverfew is considered a short-lived perennial, so plant in succession to maintain a supply of new plants. Let a few seed heads remain in the garden in early fall and you may get new seedlings the following spring. Feverfew also grows well in containers.

Auto tracker

Back in the days when gps or auto tracker wasn’t around we had to rely on our street directories to get around. It was good because we learn to navigate around the streets and we built up a sense of directions in all of us old timer drivers.

Sadly it’s a totally different story nowadays. With gps or auto tracker in almost every car the young drivers wouldn’t know how to navigate their way around town should something happen to their trackers. They are too reliable on them for their own good. It’s a bit like driving auto or manual cars; the other generations had to learn to drive with manual cars so by the time we got our licenses we were driving manual cars of all sizes. Nowadays the younger generation gets to choose what car they drive in; manual or the more popular auto transmission cars. So now we’ve created a generation of young drivers who claim to be able to drive as long as the car is not manual transmission!

So getting back to the auto tracker, I admit I do have one in my car but I only need it when I’m in unfamiliar territories like a new city or in the outer suburbs. Most of the time I rely on my experience or the old trusty street directories.

Growing cosmos

Cosmos are adaptable to almost any kind of soil, but they do need moisture to germinate. In dry, hot climates, Shepherd recommends placing a shade cloth over the bed until the seedlings begin to sprout. This happens roughly five to 10 days after planting.

Cosmos blooms continuously until the first frost. With its distinguished forms and vibrant colors, it's no wonder why so many gardeners are over the moon for cosmos, even those with small yards.

While compact Cosmos sulphureus are great for containers, Cosmos bipinnatus reaches six feet or higher with a tendency to topple over. Fortunately, Shepherd has a way to keep them from drooping. She has created a low-maintenance cosmos support system from garden netting attached to wood stakes. These stakes secure to notched metal posts that stretch over the entire bed. As the plants grow, the netting practically disappears.

Briggs and stratton

Okay I must admit I’m no handyman when it comes to mechanical repairs. So when my 10 year old briggs and stratton lawn mower broke down the other week I had to take it down to the local repair shop. I though it was going to cost me a bomb but I was quite surprised that it was quite reasonable. I’m sure they wouldn’t want to charge me too much because then it’d be cheaper for me to go buy a new one. After the repair it was like a brand new mower that is going to last me another 10 years or more.

Growing beetroots

Beetroot should not be sowed until after the last frost. Sowing can be brought forward a few weeks if you use a poly tunnel or cloche. Soak your beetroot seeds for a few hours before sowing. Each seed cluster actually contains one to four seeds. You can sow the seeds in seedling pots and then transplant the seedlings into the final growing position but some find higher success rates if sowing directly into the soil.

If sowing in rows then leave around 30cm between rows. Sow the seeds at around 1 inch depth and cover with soil. Sow seed clusters around 5cm apart.

After sowing make sure the soil remains damp until the seeds have germinated and you can see the emerging seedlings.

Beetroot can also be grown in containers. Fill a pot 30cm in diameter with potting compost and sow about 6 seed clusters at 2.5cm depth. Thin the seed cluster seedlings as described above.

Car insurance

So after that horrific quote from my insurance company I’ve decided to ditch them and went hunting for a better deal for my car insurance. There are many insurers out there in the market and all wanting your business so you can afford to shop around and get the best deal available. Plus because I’ve been a good driver all my driving life coupled with no claimants I should be able to get a real steal.

Growing watermelon

Growing watermelons requires lots of space, lots of sun, lots of water and lots of nutrients. Watermelons do not cope well with extreme heat or the humid, soggy conditions of our wet season/summer. Fungal diseases and bugs will wipe them out in no time. Watermelons are grown from seed. You may be tempted to use seed out of a melon you bought, but don't waste your time. It is almost guaranteed to be a hybrid. Watermelon seed germinates easily and quickly, within a few days. Watermelon plants outgrow the seedling stage very quickly, and they don't like transplanting. You don't save much time and you end up with a weaker plant.

Insurance quote

I received my car insurance quote last week. I nearly fell off my seat! I’ve been a loyal customer with my insurance company for as long as I can remember and instead of rewarding me they slug me with a gigantic premium! Whatever happens to loyalty nowadays? If this is how they want to play the game then they better prepare for me to away to a better deal and believe you me, there are plenty out there.

Growing turnips

Turnip prefer full sun with a soil pH of 6.5. Turnip are moderate feeders; require a deep, loose cultivated soil with medium water retention. Apply generously, compost and well rotted manure prior to planting. Turnips benefit from regular feedings with a compost tea or fertilizer with higher amounts of phosphorous and potassium for good root development. Boron is a key trace element for the prevention of Brown Heart (water core). (Boron may also be applied separately as a spray 4-6 weeks after planting).

Sow turnip thinly ¼-½” deep. Space young turnip plants to 4-6” apart in rows 24-30” apart. Sow turnip seed as early as the soil can be worked to mature crop for early market. For the main storage crop, plant turnips in late June or early July, so that roots can develop in the warmer weather. Late plantings are less susceptible to turnip root maggot damage.

Barcode scanner

It started out as a small humble stall selling home grown vegetables. That was 10 years ago but look at it now; its 2 shops joined together to form one huge fruits and veggies store! I’m talking about the little stall by the supermarket where I used to go shopping in my old neighbourhood. I’ve moved away from the area but last week I went down there and I couldn’t believe my eyes; the owner has turned the old stall into a giant store with all the whiz bangs like POS machines with barcode scanner. I am most impressed, what would it become in another 10 years?

Growing swedes

Swedes prefer a medium soil which contains lots of nutrients although they will be happy growing in most soil types. They are unfortunately prone to club root so make sure the soil is not too acidic. Acid soils encourage club root. The ideal pH for swedes is somewhere between 7.0 and 7.4. If the soil is short of nutrients then add some well-rotted manure a month or so prior to sowing seed. If manure is not available then add a long lasting fertiliser such as bonemeal or similar.

Swedes don't like being waterlogged. If your soil is not free draining then either dig in some well-rotted compost or grow them on a ridge so that the water drains away.

Wireless routers

I hate cables, back in the days when everything is connected via cables I have messy cables running all around the house making the place a messy sight and dangerous. Thank goodness for Wi-Fi! Now I can have a cable free home and still be able to network all my PCs and media players together, thanks to wireless routers. I wonder what’s in store for us in the near future?

Growing radishes

The radish is essentially a cool-season crop. It grows best in the spring and autumn and will tolerate light winter frosts. The high temperatures of summer cause the plant to develop small tops, and roots rapidly become pithy and strongly pungent after reaching maturity. For this reason producing quality radishes during midsummer can be difficult.

Radishes do best on the lighter, sandy, well-drained soils. This allows for even root development and ease of washing after harvest. Liberal applications of animal manure are normally used for growing radishes. Apply a good quality fowl manure at the rate of 15 t/ha (1.5 kg/m2) two to three weeks before planting. Prior to sowing, broadcast 100 g/m2 of 5:5:5 N:P:K fertiliser. This ensures that the young seedlings have a ready supply of major elements immediately after germination. This is important for radishes, as they have such a short growing period.

Radishes will tolerate slightly acid soil, but the pH should not be allowed to fall below 5.5. To avoid using excessive fertiliser, apply fertiliser according to a soil analysis.

Beads for jewelry making

During our trip to Kuching, Malaysia a few years back we found ourselves in a maze of old shops that sell all sorts of colourful stuff like those beads for jewelry making which Terese found really delightful. Might I add she couldn’t get enough of them and have to settle for less than what she really wanted because we wouldn’t be able to take them all back with us. As for me I just enjoyed strolling along the old shops, it was quite an eye opener.

Growing onions

In general, plant onions in autumn – early spring 10-15 cm apart in well drained soil. Plant in a different place each year, preferably on a 5 year rotation around the garden or the patch. Onions like a limed soil, so if you haven’t limed the area in the last year or so, sprinkle around some dolomite or garden lime. If you sow onions from seed they should come up within 2-3 weeks. Seed germinates readily between 2 and 27 deg C. Be careful not to overwater!

It’s best to not fertilise onions at planting, rather to plant them in soil that was fertilised for the last vegie crop. Too much manure or blood and bone in the soil can encourage maggots and rot, not very yummy! It’s ok to add some wood ash or potash though.

If this doesn’t happen, too much fertiliser can result in loose and soft bulbs which won’t keep for very long. Salad onions, like white Spanish, are grown to eat fresh rather than store so a bit more fertiliser is OK for them.

Growing garden cress

Garden Cress seeds will germinate in as soon as 2 days and as far out as 6, in order you’ll be able to see they develop quickly. Backyard cress likes the soil’s neutral pH to be as close to impartial (7.zero) as possible. Check your soil with a home testing package, out there from any garden or home middle for just a couple of dollars. Follow the directions that come with the kit to lift or decrease your soil’s pH degree as needed.

It likes full solar so pick a spot that receives probably the most sunlight and if you have an indoor herb backyard, make sure you pick a window sill that receives daylight very first thing in the morning. As for watering, garden cress doesn’t need much. Just preserve the soil moist with moderate watering and you may be ok.

Adidas response

I had a sneak peek into my son’s letter to Santa the other day. He wants some fancy shoes, something calls addidas response? I’m an old dad so what do I know about fancy shoes right? What ever happens to plain old runners or sneakers? Nowadays there are too many types of footwear it’s never easy to stay on top of them all. I hope Santa does!

Growing cabbages

Cabbages do best in a reasonably firm soil, so leave it for several months between digging and planting. Like all brassica varieties dig in plenty of well rotted manure or compost in the autumn - don't dig in the manure close to planting time. If the soil is acid then apply lime during the preparation, acid soil discourages growth and encourages that dreaded affliction of brassicas, club root... aim at pH 6.5 - 7.0.

Cover the bed with sifted mature compost if you have some - the bed may be small enough to purchase a bag or two from your garden centre, especially if you're just beginning your adventure in growing cabbage, you might not have the organic matter to compost.

Lipofuze

Its that time of the year when I tend to let go a bit and go overboard with all the yummy food we serve during the festive season. Which is all good except by mid January I’ll be packing on a whole lot more weight than my ideal weight. That’s when my all reliable Lipofuze comes to rescue me, it never fails every year.

Growing chives

Chives will grow in almost all soils, the ideal one being well-dug with the addition of well-rotted compost or organic material. Work in a handful or two of bonemeal per square metre (yard). Chives are not greedy feeders, so it is not necessary to feed throughout the year if the soil has been prepared as described.

Full sun or partial shade suit them equally well, and although they are fairly tolerant of drought, don't plant them in very dry places. Chives are perennial evergreen plants, and keep their leaves in most winters. In colder winters, the leaves may die back completely, but don't despair - their roots are still alive and they will begin new growth next spring.

Urban clothes

I got a call from a friend who wanted my help in setting up her market stall on the weekends. She’ll be selling clothing mainly jeans, t-shirts and urban clothes. Mainly clothes she gets from factory seconds and she likes me to help her in the first couple of weeks. I’m happy to help, it’ll give me an excuse to get out there early each morning to meet new people and the fresh air will do me good.

Growing brussel sprouts

Brussels are a cool weather crop that grow best at around 60-65 deg F. They will grow well in temperatures up to 75 deg F. Warm temperatures will cause the sprouts to open up and lose their firmness. Warm weather also causes the flavour of the sprout to be more intense.

Brussel Sprouts have a shallow root system and so care must be taken not to damage the roots when maintaining the soil and weeds. A nitrogen fertiliser should be applied to the soil every 3 weeks through the growing season. Brussel Sprouts need a large amount of water but do not like standing water. Lighter soils will require more frequent waterings than heavier soils. Ensure to water the crop adequately during the growing season as the plants require water for growth and sprout development. Removing the growing tip of the plant about a month before the harvesting date will result in greater yields as the plant will divert energy from leaf growth into developing the Brussel Sprouts.

Custom laptops

When buying a desktop computer we can customize the configuration of the computer according to our budget and choice. A faster cpu here, more memory, better graphic card..the choices are endless. Pity there’s not the case when buying laptops because I’m yet to find custom laptops selling anywhere. You can probably have a choice of cpu, memory and hard disk space. Then you’re stuck with it because you won’t be able to change these components in the future.

Growing chillies

Chillies are grown in full sun, but in Adelaide the climate is very harsh, and the sun can be fierce. Growing them under trees, in the shade house and even in a glasshouse has proved to be successful. Chillies are shallow-rooted plants and when they are grown in a container their roots will remain warmer in winter than if they were grown in the ground. There are likely to be more failures through dieback and death of the plants in the ground than in pots, which have the other advantage of being able to be easily moved to another location if they are not happy in the one where they are growing. A 20 cm pot is adequate for growing most chilli plants. They are very hardy and even have the ability to recover from leaf drop as a result of drying out. They can be pruned back in winter and will re-shoot with fresh new growth. For economical use of space, it is possible to grow three different varieties in one larger 30 cm pot. Containers with a water-well in the bottom will only need to be watered about once a month.

Term life insurance rate

Some insurance are useless; they’re money wasters that don’t have any benefit for you. But there are some insurance that are a must for any family like term life insurance. We all think nothing bad will ever happen to us when we have all the good things in life but it doesn’t take much for our lives to turn and if it does we can rest easy that we have something to fall back on. So find the best term life insurance rate that suits your family and live your life to the fullest.

Growing blueberries

Growing blueberries of your own will give you one of the most delicious tasting fruits around and will be far superior to the commercially grown types. These have probably been picked too early, to arrive in the supermarkets hopefully almost ripe, but by then they have probably lost most of their vitamin C & E values for which they are noted. The fruit is also renowned for containing fructose, fiber, and antioxidants, which researchers say is a great health benefit. So with this in mind, why not grow your own.

Containers can be used very successfully for growing blueberries and this is a good option if you cannot provide the right type of soil in your garden beds. The Dwarf Northsky Blueberry is a great choice for container growing with an attractive compact mounding habit. Another option is using raised garden beds where again you can add the specific type of soil required for growing blueberries. Gurney’s Blueberry Food is made from plant and animal by-products and enhanced with minerals and natural trace elements to help maintain acid pH.

Mens ties

I have a few clients that I think I should get some Christmas presents for. Problem is I don’t know what to get them. The accountant said alcohol is out because I wouldn’t be able to claim them so maybe food hampers? Or mens ties for the guys and flowers for the ladies? This is a dilemma, I think they’d prefer alcohol but that’s going to be a problem.

Growing pennyroyal

Pennyroyal is not a culinary herb, but it is worth growing for several other reasons. Mainly, it is one of the best natural insect repellents, and it smells better than many commercial insect repellents. It is a durable plant which will survive periods of neglect.

Plant pennyroyal in a dedicated spot in the garden. Pennyroyal is an aggressive spreading herb which sends shoots out from its roots from which new plants pop up. It takes over its surrounding space, so plant in dedicated beds or grow it in pots. If growing in pots, choose at least an 8-inch pot. Grow pennyroyal in full sun or partial shade. Pennyroyal is adaptable to many light conditions, but does not thrive in full shade.

Anti aging wrinkle creams

Time waits for no one and sooner or later old age will catch up to every one of us. But you can give old age a run for its money and one way of doing this is finding anti aging wrinkle creams to smooth out those wrinkles and going to the gym to tone up those muscles. Eat healthy, sleep well, exercise more and have a great attitude to life!

Growing pumpkins

Pumpkin vines need fertile, compost-rich, well-drained soil in full sun and are most easily grown as ground-cover plants. Bushy varieties, like Golden Nugget, can be container-grown, but most are too vigorous for pots. Vines can be trained over frames provided they can support the weight of the heavy fruit.

In frost-free tropical and subtropical gardens, pumpkins can be grown all year round. In temperate Australia plant or sow outside after the last frost. In cold climates sow pumpkins indoors or in a glasshouse so they can be planted immediately after the last frost to gain the full benefit of short summers.

Does MD Clear work?

Being a guy with some success battling acne problems during my younger years I get asked by friends on advises with their acne problems. A lot of my friends are bombarded with remedies and cures available on the market claiming to cure acne in no time, which they’re just confused as to which product they should go for. A very popular question I get asked is does md clear work? There is no simple answer to that; it could work for some but not for others. You just have to give it a go.

Growing nasturtiums

Nasturtiums plants grow very full, with spots of brightly colored blossoms poking out of masses of foliage. Leaves are rounded, like a water lily. The flowers are an open funnel shape with a curious little claw or spur on the underside. They are most often seen in rich shades of yellow, orange, , pink, red and mahogany but there are also varieties in subdued shades of butter yellow and cream. The ‘Alaska’ Series and the climbing ‘Jewel of Africa’ have variegated leaves.

Nasturtiums are usually started from seed, so you won’t often find them available as plants, at nurseries. However, the seed germinate quickly and the plants will be up and blooming in little time. Seeds can be sow directly in the garden, when the soil has warmed, or started indoors about 2-4 weeks earlier. Nasturtiums don’t especially like being transplanted, so starting indoor seedlings in peat pots will reduce transplant shock. Once planted, they tend to take care of themselves.

The best way to lose weight

I get asked this question all the time; what is the best way to lose weight. Sorry guys but I’m no expert but maybe it’s because of how much weight I lost last summer and now everyone thinks I’m some weight loss expert which is further from the truth. All I did was eating healthy and exercise more and I do it diligently and the weight is fell off me! That’s how easy it was.

Growing potatoes

To grow potatoes, you will need to deeply dig the garden bed to ensure the soil is loose. Chicken manure or blood and bone should be dug through the bed as potatoes need a lot of phosphorus but not too much nitrogen. Too much nitrogen will cause the potatoes to create too much leafy growth rather than potatoes. Ensure that the potatoes are planted into the soil to about 10cm depth for adequate soil coverage. Seed potatoes should be planted about 50cm apart.

As the potatoes grow, it is important to keep them well covered, either by mounding the soil or heavily mulching. If sunlight reaches the potatoes as they are growing, they will turn green and become inedible. Keep the potatoes watered moderately as potatoes will rot in soil that is too wet.

The cottage

Well I would say our little country retreat is almost done. The painters are finishing off the final touches and the landscapers are filling up the backyard with lots of plants and flowers.

What it needs now is an address plague to finish off our beautiful little cottage in the country. All the years of hard work is finally paying off, we are going to enjoy our little retreat for years to come.

While we were looking for our address sign we were pleasantly surprised that there are so many to choose from. We were spoiled for choice what with the hundreds of address plaques and numbers available. But we finally found the right one for our little cottage and now it is complete.

Growing calendula

Calendula is in the same family as daisies and chrysanthemums and the resemblance can be seen in their daisy-like flowers. The plants will bloom throughout the season. The leaves are slightly fussy and not the most attractive part of the plants. Although the petals have a lightly bitter flavor, they have no fragrance. They’re used in all kinds of recipes, from butter to wine, but they are mostly favored for their intense color.

Calendula can be direct seeded in the spring or even summer or they can be started indoors as transplants. They’re very easy maintenance and once established in your garden, they will self-seed, but they don’t generally become a nusiance.

Rich soil and a full sun location will keep your calendula blooming, although they will adapt to most any soil conditions. Calendula will slow down in extreme heat and warmer climates will have more success growing them as fall or early spring flowers. In more temperate areas, watering regularly will help keep them going in the peak of summer and your calendula will bloom until frost.

Wii

Video game consoles have come a long way since the days of Atari. It used to be that video games were making our kids unhealthy; however the new wii console is the first of its kind of game consoles that not only is fun but gets you exercising before you even know it! I never knew I would be saying good things about a game console but the wii is the best game console on the market and I’d have no problem letting my kids play on it all day long.

Growing choko

The choko (Sechium edule) is a vigorous, perennial vine which is easy to grow in mild, frost-free climates. It can be propagated from a single sprouting fruit in late winter and spring. Plants will bear fruit in autumn and winter, when other fresh vegies are scarce. If you don't have room for a vine, chokoes can be bought cheaply at the fruit market. Chokoes contain fibre, vitamin C, they're low in fat and they can even taste good!

Colon cleansers

After the celebrations of drinking and feasting I think I need to do some major detoxing. I’ve never done it before but I’ve had friends who’s done it and recommended it. So now I’m looking for colon cleansers on the net, there are so many available out there and it’s hard to pick the right one for me. I wish I had a fairy godmother who can show me the way.

Growing leeks

The leek is a great vegetable for cooler climates, it's easy to grow, useful and very versatile. The white elongated bulb at the base of the leaves, makes a very tasty, fresh vegetable, either on its own or in stews or casseroles. The green leafy tops of leek is excellent for flavouring soups and stews. They are also very nutritious and very rich in vitamin A. The leek is a member of the onion family, but is far easier to grow than the onion. The are able to grow in varied soil conditions, so long as it is not waterlogged.

Dermapril review

Some one told me about this new skin care treatment called dermaril which until today I’ve never heard of. I’m a rather sceptical person therefore I need to do a fair bit of research into this before I would even contemplate trying it out. Reading a dermapril review on a reputable site last night has convinced me to give it a go. It might just be the treatment I’ve been looking for all these years.

Growing vietnamese mint

Vietnamese mint can be planted straight into the garden. Just take a cutting from the parent plant that's got lots of little roots on it. Dig it into a nice, moist soil. It loves soil that's got lots of manure in it and it likes to be cut back all the time, to keep it growing vigorously. Both of these plants will be ready for harvesting in about a month. Fertilise tropical herbs twice a month during the wet season and once a month during the dry.